Heat exchange device for hot water of shower and bath

ABSTRACT

The present invention is to provide a heat exchange device for hot water of shower and bath, which comprises a trough base, a metal heat exchanging plate and a diversion plate, wherein, said trough base of hollow cuboid with a top opening on the upper side has a water inlet and a water outlet respectively configured on one pair of corresponding flanks thereat; said metal heat exchanging plate has a plurality of round sinks orderly arrayed on the top surface thereof as well as a inlet orifice and a outlet orifice respectively perforated on one pair of sides corresponding to the flanks of said trough base; And said diversion plate, which being securely attached onto the internal bottom surface of said metal heat exchanging plate, has some isolating raised bars protruded on the top surface thereat. By means of every round sink on the metal heat exchanging plate and the isolating raised bar on the diversion plate, the showered hot water will constantly sprinkle over said metal heat exchanging plate after having showered over the bather body; By means of with uniform specification in design and fabrication so that such multiple heat exchange devices can be jointly arranged and combined in accordance with the sprinkling floor area of the bathing room; Thereby, the showered hot water can be fully collected and utilized to provide more heating source for heat exchange so as to enhance the energy-saving effect in heating action of the water heater.

This application claims the benefit of provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60/843,706, field Sep. 12, 2006.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to the heat exchange device for hot water of shower and bath, particularly for a high efficient heat exchange device able to fully collect and utilize the showered hot water for absorbing heat energy thereof with additional function of sole massage so as to achieve both purposes of energy-saving environmental protection effect and bathing-shower health improvement effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, all the pre-heating devices for re-using the bathed or showered hot water to pre-heat the feed tap water of room temperature are respectively disclosed in the China Patent Published Numbers of: CN2349494Y (Application Filing Number: 98202957.8), CN2662185Y (Application Filing Number: 200320111335.8) and CN2535702Y (Application Filing Number: 02209351.6) as well as Taiwan Patent Published Numbers of 378743 (Application Filing Number: 088207912) and so on; According to the disclosed prior art of the aforesaid pre-heating devices, the reason of serious drawback for being unable to reach optimal energy-saving effect is that the floor area of the bathing room for every family is different with considerable area difference range; The dilemma is that:

Ordinarily, if striving for satisfying with all different floor area of the bathing room for every family, then each tailor-made device of variety without uniform specification will substantially increase the production cost so that the original good intention for energy-saving by re-using the bathed or showered hot water diminished in consequence of higher procurement price of such device incurred thereof; contrarily, if striving for uniforming the product specification, then such uniform device may become inadequate owing to not meeting with each requirement for different floor area of the bathing room for every family; Either of above dilemma, the energy-saving effect in heating action of the water heater is curtailed.

However, the single time of heat exchange in collecting and utilizing the bathed or showered hot water is rather not worthwhile with ample improvement possibility; Moreover, the single energy-saving purpose for asking bather step on the specific floor spot at the bathing room is not enough to become a provocative appeal; if some other motivations can be infused, the original good intention will be effectively and smoothly achieved and enhanced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a “heat exchange device for hot water of shower and bath” with uniform specification in design and fabrication so that such multiple heat exchange devices can be jointly arranged and combined in accordance with the sprinkling floor area of the bathing room; Thereby, the showered hot water can be fully collected and utilized to provide more heating source for heat exchange so as to enhance the energy-saving effect in heating action of the water heater.

The further object of the present invention is to provide a “heat exchange device for hot water of shower and bath”, which comprises a trough base, a metal heat exchanging plate and a diversion plate, wherein, said trough base of hollow cuboid with a top opening on the upper side has a water inlet and a water outlet respectively configured on one pair of corresponding flanks thereat; said metal heat exchanging plate has a plurality of round sinks orderly arrayed on the top surface thereof as well as a inlet orifice and a outlet orifice respectively perforated on one pair of sides corresponding to the flanks of said trough base; And said diversion plate, which being securely attached onto the internal bottom surface of said metal heat exchanging plate, has some isolating raised bars protruded on the top surface thereat. By means of every round sink on the metal heat exchanging plate and the isolating raised bar on the diversion plate, the showered hot water will constantly sprinkle over said metal heat exchanging plate after having showered over the bather body; Thereby, after entering the water inlet of the trough base, the feed tap water of room temperature will absorb the heat energy from the showered hot water sprinkling over every said round sink of said metal heat exchanging plate upon passing through the flow duct between the metal heat exchanging plate and diversion plate so that the feed tap water out of the water outlet becomes warmer so as to supply warmer feed water to said water heater; Thus, the consumption for heating energy of the water heater can be saved.

The other object of the present invention is to provide a “heat exchange device for hot water of shower and bath”, wherein, an additional nipple plate can be further overlaid onto the metal heat exchanging plate so that the feet of the bather can step over it to have both effect of sole massage and slip-resistant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the perspective cross section illustrative view showing the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is the perspective exploded illustrative view showing the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is the cross section illustrative view showing the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is the first perspective illustrative view showing the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is the second perspective illustrative view showing the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is the perspective cross section illustrative view showing the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the direction indicated by a line 7-7 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is the perspective exploded illustrative view showing the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is the perspective cross section illustrative view showing the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the direction indicated by a line 10-10 in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is the perspective exploded illustrative view showing the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is the illustrative view showing the alternative metal heat exchanging plate in the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is the perspective cross section illustrative view showing the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the direction indicated by a line 14-14 in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is the perspective exploded illustrative view showing the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is the perspective cross section illustrative view showing the sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is the planar cross section illustrative view showing the sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is the cross section illustrative view showing additional external massage nipple plate in the sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is the perspective cross section illustrative view showing the seventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is the operation illustrative view showing the seventh exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1 through FIG. 3, the shown in the drawings is the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention of heat exchange device for hot water of shower and bath comprises:

A trough base 10, which is a hollow cuboid with a top opening 11 on the upper side, has a water inlet 12 and a water outlet 13 respectively configured on one pair of corresponding flanks thereat;

A metal heat exchanging plate 20, which being embedded into the trough base 10 via said top opening 11, has a plurality of round sinks 21 orderly arrayed on the top surface thereof as well as a inlet orifice 22 and a outlet orifice 23 respectively perforated on one pair of sides corresponding to both of said water inlet 12 and water outlet 13 on the flanks of the trough base 10; and

A diversion plate 30, which being embedded into the trough base 10 and securely attached onto the internal bottom surface of said metal heat exchanging plate 20, has some isolating raised bars 31 protruded on the top surface thereat so that a fluent flow duct 32 is created in the space between rows of said every round sink 21 array on said heat exchanging plate 20 as shown in the FIG. 3.

As shown in the FIG. 1, the hot water coming from the water heater 100 is routed to the shower sprinkle head 103 for bathing shower via the outlet pipe 102 when bather starts to bathing shower; the showered hot water will sprinkle over the metal heat exchanging plate 20 on the top surface of the trough base 10 after having showered over the bather body. Meanwhile, after entering the water inlet 12 of the trough base 10, the feed tap water W of room temperature will pass through the flow duct 32 between the metal heat exchanging plate 20 and diversion plate 30 and simultaneously absorb the heat energy from the showered hot water sprinkling over said metal heat exchanging plate 20 of said trough base 10 such that becoming warmer water after heat exchange; Then, the warmer water is routed into the water heater 100 via the inlet pipe 101 out of the water outlet 13 of the trough base 10 so as to supply warmer feed water to said water heater 100; Thus, the consumption for heating energy of the water heater 100 can be saved.

Please further refer to the FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the water inlet 12 and water outlet 13 can be configured in other flanks of the trough base 10 so that multiple trough bases 10 can be jointly arranged and combined in accordance with the sprinkling floor area of the bathing room; Thereby, the showered hot water can be fully collected and utilized to provide more heating source for heat exchange so as to enhance the energy-saving effect in heating action of the water heater 100.

Furthermore, please refer to FIG. 6 through FIG. 8, the shown in the drawings is the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein a plurality of oval sinks 41 are orderly arrayed on the top surface of the metal heat exchanging plate 40; The energy-saving function and effect need not to describe redundantly as it is the same as that of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the FIG. 9 through FIG. 11, it is the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein a plurality of parallel strap sinks 51 are arranged on the top surface of the metal heat exchanging plate 50, and the diversion plate 60 is configured into plate shape; Thereby, a fluent flow duct 61 is created in the space between rows of parallel strap sinks 51 so long as the bottom side of said parallel strap sinks 51 closely attaches with the top surface of said diversion plate 60 (as shown in the FIG. 10); The energy-saving function and effect need not to describe redundantly as it is also the same as that of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As further shown in the FIG. 12, wherein said metal heat exchanging plate 20′ in the foregoing first exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be further configured into continuous corrugation so that the feet of the bather can step over it to have both effect of sole massage and slip-resistant.

As further shown in the FIG. 13 through FIG. 15, wherein both of said metal heat exchanging plate 20 and diversion plate 30 in the foregoing first exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be interchangeable from upside to downside then embedded into the trough base 10; The energy-saving function and effect is also the same as that of the first exemplary embodiment.

Furthermore, please refer to FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, the shown in the drawings is the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein the bottom side of the trough base 70 is concaved into a hollow trough 71, and a plurality of enclosed cavities 81 are formed in the space after closely attaching the diversion plate 60 with the metal heat exchanging plate 80; Then a inlet orifice 82 and a outlet orifice 83 are perforated among said multiple enclosed cavities 81; The energy-saving function and effect is also the same as that of the first exemplary embodiment. As further shown for the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention in the FIG. 18, wherein an additional nipple plate 90 can be further overlaid onto said diversion plate 60 so that the feet of the bather can step over it to have both effect of sole massage and slip-resistant.

As shown in the FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, it is the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein two pairs of the metal heat exchanging plate 80 and the diversion plate 60 are stacked and embedded in the trough base 200 with the water inlet 201 of the trough base 200 connecting to one of the enclosed cavities 81 at the upper stack, and the water outlet 202 of the trough base 200 connecting to one of the enclosed cavities 81 at the lower stack as well as a connecting pipe P linking both of upper stack and lower stack; Besides, some drain orifices 203 are perforated in the central bottom portion of the trough base 200 such that top opening of said drain orifice 203 connecting with diversion plate 60 of the lower stack.

As shown in the FIG. 20, when the showered hot water flow down along both sides of the diversion plate 60 of the upper stack over the top surface of said diversion plate 60 of the lower stack after sprinkling over the top surface of said diversion plate 60 of the upper stack, then discharge out of the trough base 200 via the drain orifice 203; Meanwhile, after entering the water inlet 201 of the trough base 200, the feed tap water W of room temperature will be routed to the enclosed cavity 81 in the metal heat exchanging plate 80 of the upper stack and act first heat exchange with the showered hot water sprinkling over said diversion plate 60 of the upper stack, then will be again routed to the enclosed cavity 81 in the metal heat exchanging plate 80 of the lower stack and act second heat exchange with the showered hot water flow down over said diversion plate 60 of the lower stack so as to fully absorb and utilize the heat energy of the showered hot water for obtaining warmer feed water; Thus, the consumption for heating energy of the water heater can be further saved. 

1. A heat exchange device for hot water of shower and bath comprises: a trough base, which is a hollow cuboid with a top opening on the upper side, has a water inlet and a water outlet respectively configured on one pair of corresponding flanks thereat; a metal heat exchanging plate, which being embedded into said trough base via said top opening, has a plurality of round sinks orderly arrayed on the top surface thereof as well as a inlet orifice and a outlet orifice respectively perforated on one pair of sides corresponding to both of said water inlet and water outlet on the flanks of said trough base; and a diversion plate, which being embedded into said trough base and securely attached onto the internal bottom surface of said metal heat exchanging plate, has some isolating raised bars protruded on the top surface thereat so that a fluent flow duct is created in the space between rows of said round sink array on said heat exchanging plate.
 2. A heat exchange device as recited in the claim 1, wherein said both of water inlet and water outlet of said trough base are configured on other flanks of said trough base.
 3. A heat exchange device as recited in the claim 1, wherein said a plurality of oval sinks is orderly arrayed on the top surface of said metal heat exchanging plate.
 4. A heat exchange device as recited in the claim 1, wherein said a plurality of parallel strap sinks is arranged on the top surface of said metal heat exchanging plate, and the diversion plate is configured into plate shape; Thereby, a fluent flow duct is created in the space between rows of parallel strap sinks so long as the bottom side of said parallel strap sinks closely attaches with the top surface of said diversion plate.
 5. A heat exchange device as recited in the claim 1, wherein said metal heat exchanging plate is further configured into continuous corrugation.
 6. A heat exchange device as recited in the claim 1, wherein both of said metal heat exchanging plate and diversion plate are interchangeable from upside to downside then embedded into the trough base.
 7. A heat exchange device as recited in the claim 1, wherein the bottom side of said trough base is concaved into a hollow trough; and a plurality of enclosed cavities is formed in the space after closely attaching the diversion plate with the metal heat exchanging plate; Then a inlet orifice and a outlet orifice are perforated among said multiple enclosed cavities; Besides, an additional nipple plate is further overlaid onto said diversion plate.
 8. A heat exchange device as recited in the claim 1, wherein said two pairs of the metal heat exchanging plate and the diversion plate are stacked and embedded in said trough base with the water inlet of the trough base connecting to one of the enclosed cavities at the upper stack and the water outlet of the trough base connecting to one of the enclosed cavities at the lower stack as well as a connecting pipe linking both of upper stack and lower stack; Besides, some drain orifices are perforated in the central bottom portion of said trough base such that top opening of said drain orifice connecting with diversion plate of the lower stack. 